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Thread: Polishing your wheels!

  1. #1
    Senior Member gumbie's Avatar
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    Default Polishing your wheels!

    Okay before i post this is taken from another forum so i do not take any credit for it!

    Enjoy!

    Ok got a set of rims that have seen better days?
    want to restore the shine and lustre?

    this is how i do it
    the rim in question



    anodizing is milky and there are some scratches and not really shiny also centres need a refinish



    step 1
    remove wheel off the car

    step 2

    if it is a 2 /3 piece rim unbolt the centre
    i will be getting my centre sandblasted and powder coated (cost approx $30 per centre )

    step 3

    dependant on the surface condition sand back with sand paper

    for badly corroded / scratched rims I start with 40 grit to remove all damage
    ALWAYS SAND AROUND THE RIM >>>NEVER ACROSS and use long strokes keep rotating wheel
    if your rims are not that bad start with like a 400 grit
    once the surface looks smooth and uniform use progressively finer grades of sandpaper
    40 to 60 to 80 to 120 to 240 to 320 to 400 to 600 to 800 to 1200 to 2000
    should get to a finish like this..



    I also sand the inside clean with 800 grit and remove old balance weight adhesives etc



    next step is to buff the now smooth but not very shiny surface usung a buffing wheel on a power drill
    using a cutting compound
    grey first on a stitched wheel to make surface shiny and remove very slight scratches left from sanding
    take your time and don't load the buff up with too much compound
    then once the rim looks shiny wipe over with turps to remove excess compund. swap over to the rag buff with white
    compound and continue to polish to a high lustre

    will end up looking like this.. :hmm:


    mmmmmmm shiny... :lolcry:

    then it's a matter of using a metal polish regularly to keep shiny and clean
    the above photo has not had any polish on it yet... but it will ( will be even shinier )
    the compound and buffs and powerdrill to do this are available at bunnings
    total cost is like $60 - 70 but a worthwhile investment as you can polish pretty much anything alloy
    following the same steps above
    depending on condition will take anywhere from 1 hr to 4 hrs

    to remove anodizing and clear coats use mr muscle oven cleaner, leave on for 30 mins then sand with 1200 grit sand paper

    P.S Autosol is shit.. BRITESHINE FTMFW
    Last edited by gumbie; 18th August 2010 at 10:56 PM.

  2. #2
    Veteran keiichi's Avatar
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    Default

    nice - comes up like new

  3. #3
    Moderator Sam-Q's Avatar
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    Default

    who sells this BRITESHINE? auto stores?
    My website: SQ Engineering - 4AGE and 3SGE upgrade/replacement parts

    - SQ Engineering on facebook -

    Please e-mail to contact me instead of sending a private message on here.

  4. #4
    Senior Member gumbie's Avatar
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    Yeah, I've noticed it at burson and super cheap auto, it's about $15, it's cotton wadding polish, works a treat!

  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    awesome!

    my meshies were starting to look a little sad

    thanks !

  6. #6
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    What you can also do is chuck your beast on stands, with rear in the air and get your mrs on the accelerator while you sand (or vice versa where possible)

  7. #7
    Senior Member Hachi_Tom's Avatar
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    LOL win idea!

  8. #8
    Senior Member Slimer86's Avatar
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    I bought mine from Big W.

    Big up's for the North East Massiv'
    NSATB - New Skids Around The Block

  9. #9
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    I wouldn't say Autosol is shit. Quite the opposite
    http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/951/38241872.jpg

  10. #10
    Veteran evil86's Avatar
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    um.. can u take pics of your buffing pads please
    Pick up Sydney
    Pics can be sent by phone
    Emails ignored
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    Private numbers ignored
    Wankers abused

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